One sector of the economy that never seems to disappoint is IT. The rate of development in this sector places fresh demands for new skills on IT-related employers – something that has remained more or less constant for the last two decades. Pauline Michell, specialist recruitment consultant at PCS, gives us an update on trends in IT recruitment.

Pauline points out that candidates have a much broader universe of potential job prospects from which to choose, thanks to social media and online search capabilities. But for employers, there is no substitute for carefully vetted and professionally sourced candidates.

“The IT sector has been doing extremely well in terms of job creation. So far we have not seen a slowdown in the IT sector in the last nine months. In fact IT companies have been hiring in bigger numbers. It’s possible that every now and then one company puts a freeze on hiring but the sector overall is looking good. In fact, overall hiring activity across all sectors is picking up compared to last year,” says Pauline Michell, senior consultant at PCS, who specialises in the IT sector.

Compared to the same time last year when hiring activity had slowed down considerably we are seeing an uptake this year. Certain sectors, especially IT, are doing extremely well. We are yet to see an upturn in sectors like construction and infrastructure and manufacturing, but barring that most other sectors seem to be picking up compared to last year

Advancements in technology have disrupted traditional recruiting and made competitive advantage more important than ever to employers and recruiters. Social media has opened up access to work and business information for candidates and employers alike. Digital marketing enables employers to more easily and effectively target candidates with jobs and recruiting messages. Mobile devices including smart phones and tablets enable candidates to conduct job search research and application processes on the go. Big data and machine learning help employers to match their jobs with qualified candidates based on profile demographics, real-time feedback, and the most current, relevant data.